The 72nd Hunger Games
by runningwithhorses
Summary: It's the 72nd Hunger Games, and once again, 24 tributes are sent to the arena to fight to the death. Please Read and Review!
1. Tributes, Training Scores, and Ages

**A/N: Hey Hey! It's me (again), all happy and ready to do yet another story!**

**Since I've finished most of Dusk (only a few random chapters to write, then I will put it all up), I thought I'd start on this. So here it is, The 72****nd**** Hunger Games! This is a list of the tributes and their training scores and ages, since I've decided not to do the reapings and training and all the whohar. If you beg, I might, if anyone wants me to write the reapings, training etc...**

**District 1  
**F – Jewel Scaia M – Leif Oconner

**District 2  
**F – Ellora Wyrmaa M – Tarn Nii

**District 3  
**F – Sidra Bigos M – Edgerre Harrath

**District 4  
**F – Maude Cakakek M – Brisson Mahrun

**District 5  
**F – Zoia Zoellner M – Ivar Branscum

**District 6  
**F – Idala Threadgill M – Dwile Fedalen

**District 7  
**F – Cama Okuda M – Kurrin Votoir

**District 8  
**F – Ceri Vildosola M – Gathar Caridyne

**District 9  
**F – Theda Depena M – Dune Deshayes

**District 10  
**F – Lucilia Pooler M – Thor Covarrubio

**District 11  
**F – Brynna Zadora M – Haroun Monserrak

**District 12  
**F – Barite Muska M – Claudius Lamas

**Training Scores/Age:**

Jewel Scaia – 17 years  
District 1  
Training Score – 9

Leif Oconner – 18 years  
District 1  
Training Score – 8

Ellora Wrymaa – 15 years  
District 2  
Training Score – 9

Tarn Nii – 14 years  
District 2  
Training Score – 10

Sidra Bigos – 18 years  
District 3  
Training Score – 6

Edgerre Harrath – 17 years  
District 3  
Training Score – 1

Maude Cakakek – 18 years  
District 4  
Training Score – 8

Brisson Mahrun – 13 years  
District 4  
Training Score – 8

Zoia Zoellner – 17 years  
District 5  
Training Score – 6

Ivar Branscum – 16 years  
District 5  
Training Score – 6

Idala Threadgill – 17 years  
District 6  
Training Score – 5

Dwile Fedalen – 15 years  
District 6  
Training Score – 2

Cama Okuda – 18 years  
District 7  
Training Score – 2

Kurrin Voter – 15 years  
District 7  
Training Score – 6

Ceri Vildosola – 13 years  
District 8  
Traiining Score – 2

Gathar Caridine – 16 years  
District 8  
Training Score – 3

Theda Depena – 15 years  
District 9  
Training Score – 9

Dune Deshayes – 17 years  
District 9  
Training Score – 11

Lucilia Pooler – 15 years  
District 10  
Training Score – 5

Thor Covarrubio – 13 years  
District 10  
Traning Score – 4

Brynna Zadora – 13 years  
District 11  
Training Score – 5

Haroun Monserrale – 18 years  
District 11  
Training Score – 7

Barite Muska – 15 years  
District 12  
Training Score – 4

Claudius Lamas – 16 years  
District 12  
Training Score - 2

**A/N: Ok, the real first chapter is on the way! It will be here real soon!**


	2. Bloodbath

Day 1

**Brynna Zadora, District 11**

The metal plate begins to rise as soon as I step onto it, and almost immediately, I am plunged into the arena. It takes me a moment to take in my surroundings. I am standing in a huge lake, part of the perfect circle that the tributes make. Water washes over my feet, saturating my boots, but it doesn't seep into them. That's good. My position isn't so good though. This part of the arena was made for District 4, and they would be the first ones to the Cornucopia, guaranteed. I'm not going to let this water stop me though. Get supplies and go that was my strategy.

Before the gong sounds, I glance at the banks. The water goes right up to the trees, which is handy, but it looks deep. I don't recognise the trees. They aren't the sort of trees that grow around District 11. All I can do about that is hope that there is more familiar territory further in.

The cornucopia is entirely underwater. I can see its glittering gold colour, rippled and out of focus due to the water. Supplies are floating out the mouth of it. Perhaps I could grab something without going right in close...

The gong rings, and I jump in the water, hoping I know enough to stay afloat. I had been counting on my speed on foot to get me through, but this was just ridiculous! The games will be over in no time, with everyone stuck in the lake.

I find I can stay afloat easily. Something in my clothes or something must help me float. I paddle furiously towards the Cornucopia, hoping to get there before anyone else. The boy from 4 is already there, helping himself to the supplies. Fortunately, he's too busy ducking underwater, grabbing stuff for him and his cronies, to notice me.

A backpack floats past me, and I lunge after it, desperate for whatever supplies I can get. I pull it on, keeping a good lookout for anyone else, but get pulled down quite a bit by its incredible weight. It must be waterlogged. Great.

Now all I need is a weapon. I swim closer, hoping that District 4 is still busy. He's bickering over some weapons with the District 1 kids, which means they will be busy for a while. A few other kids have braved the water and gotten away, grabbing supplies that have floated out along the way.

I decide to dive for the knife I can see on the bottom of the lake. As I dive, I catch sight of a boy in the water, a knife in his stomach, who looks remarkably like the boy from my district, Haroun. I hope it isn't.

I battle with the water, plunging into its depths. I am rewarded by my hand closing around the knife. But not for long. Someone jumps on top of me before I can make for the surface, forcing me to the bottom of the lake. I thrash under them, panicking, trying to get out. Water floods my mouth, but instead of salt, I can taste fresh, pure water.

I twist around and drive the knife into whoever it is' shoulder. The boy takes off for the surface, and I wrench the knife from his shoulder as he goes. It's my only weapon, to precious to lose now. I force myself to swim along the bottom a few metres before going up and checking who I stabbed. It's the boy from 2, the one who got an 11 in training. I hope that wound proves fatal.

I swim desperately for the nearest bank, and disappear into the strange forest with my life.

**Maude Cakakek, District 4**

"The knife's mine!"

"No, I got here first, so I get what I want first! That was the deal!"

"There was no deal!"

I roll my eyes. Brisson, the boy from my district, and Leif and Jewel from 1 have been fighting over the stuff in the Cornucopia for so long, it was pointless now.

"Uh, guys, they're all getting away," I point out quietly.

Tarn swims up to us. There's blood pouring out his shoulder, and he's swearing something serious.

"Wow. What happened to you?" Jewel asks, forgetting the argument for the moment.

"The 11 girl happened," he spits, and then dives into the Cornucopia below us, coming back up with a bag of medical supplies. While he treats himself - being from District 2 and all - we grab weapons and disperse, all pointless arguments forgotten for now. There aren't many other tributes left now, just one or two who aren't game enough to jump in the water, and a few who are swimming for the shore. They are horrible swimmers. I catch up with one quickly, and plunge my spear into him. Blood spurts into the once pure water, and he is instantly dead. The others finish off a few more, but by then the lucky ones have gotten away, albeit with very few supplies. It doesn't bother me, but the others seem to care about it more. Huh. Guess I'm just not as blood-thirsty as the rest of them. Maybe I'm not such a good District 4 tribute. Our mayor likes the tribute from 4 to be strong and good fighters, so we have more chance of winning. I knew when I volunteered that I would have to kill to win. That's never bothered me before.

Huh.

**Dwile Fedalen, District 6**

I see the little girl from 11 disappear into the jungle on the banks. She just got jumped on by that huge boy from 2. He looks hurt, and pretty angry. She stabbed him or something. Whatever she did, it as pretty smart. She was under for a pretty long time. And she managed to swim away before surfacing. She would be dead by now if she hadn't done that.

Lucky girl. I dunno how to swim. We aren't taught in District 6. I wish I could disappear like her. Maybe then I wouldn't have to cower here on this metal plate. And wait for death.

Idala, the girl from my district, is heading towards me. She looks pretty determined. I dunno what she wants. I hope it's an alliance. She could show me how to get out of this lake.

Wait. What's in her hand? It's really shiny in the sunlight, kind of silver-

Oh. It's a knife. It hurts something bad. And there's black eating away at my eyes. I can't feel anything. I can't move. I just stare at the face of the person I thought I could trust, the only one from home. Idala.

"Goodbye, Dwile," she says, grinning at me. Then the black eats right into my eyes, taking away my sight, and everything else with it.

**Lucilia Pooler, District 10**

At the moment, I am wandering though the trees, looking for a patch of sunlight to rest in, or a place to get a drink, or something that looks edible. I'm not having much luck. The only thing I got at the Cornucopia was a box of matches, but they're soaked and won't light, and I'm beginning to wonder if they will work at all.

It's getting darker already, and the anthem will be played soon. Then I will see who died today.

That makes me sad. I heard cannons earlier, so the Careers will be hunting for everyone who got away by now. I don't know how many are dead. I didn't count.

I can't believe that kids like me could just kill like that.

**Cama Okuda, District 7**

I've teamed up with Idala, from 6. She's really good at fighting, and I was surprised when she wanted me as an ally. 'Course, it might have just been for my food, which I happen to have heaps of. While the Careers were fighting on one side of the lake, I was piling up washed up food in my secret spot on the other side. It was all piled along the edge of the lake, ready to take, but I couldn't get all of it.

Then Idala came along, and she was real nice, so I gave her some food and now we're allies. I didn't think that she would want to pair up with me. I mean, I'm useless. I can't fight, or run fast, or sneak around. All I can do is get supplies and then stick it out and wait for someone to kill me.

The anthem is playing, and then they start showing us the faces of the kids who died today. I counted five cannon shots earlier, but there might be more. I've been wondering if Kurrin, my district partner, is dead. We got on quite well before the games.

First is the girl from 3. Sidra, I think she was called. Then the girl from 5, the boys from 6, 8 and 10, and the boy from 12. That was no surprise. District 12 hardly ever made it very far into the games. The girl from there must be pretty smart to get away. Maybe she'll win. I know I won't.

"I'll take first watch," Idala says, and I agree. I can't see much in the dark, anyway. I don't know how I would ever have a hope of surviving this.

Day 2

**Ivar Branscum, District 5**

It's barely dawn, and I'm already on the move.

I got a sword at the Cornucopia. I also got a wound, which is slowing me down a little. Lucky I found a bandage floating around when I finally got out of the damn lake. The knife cut is the length of my arm, but it isn't very deep, which I _think_ is a good thing. Anyway, it's stopped bleeding since I went to sleep.

I actually have no idea what I'm doing. I'm just wandering around, hoping I heading away from the lake, and the Careers. I'm not searching for anyone, though I doubt that I would hold back from killing anyone if they turned up. I'm not too good with alliances.

There's light filtering through the branches in front of me, and I hurry towards it. I break through the last barrier of branches, and am immediately bathed in sweet sunlight.

For a moment, I am completely absorbed by the heat from the sun. In that jungle, there wasn't a ray of sunlight anywhere. Then I look around.

It's changed. Instead of being in a jungle, I'm in this huge marshy sort of place. There are some birds that look like they are edible nearby, and pools of clear water here and there. Far in the distance, on either side, I can see what looks like a forest, but I don't care about that. This is the perfect place for me right now.

Then I realise that I have problems. I have no idea how I'm going to catch those birds. Their long legs will probably make them faster than me, and I don't have anything but my sword. A fire will be hard to light in a marsh, and there is no solid ground, which will make drying out hard. I'm still soaked to the bone from yesterdays little swimming adventure with the District 2 girl, who is oddly competent with swimming – almost as good as the 4 kids.

I go to one of the pools and sip the water, even though I'm not particularly thirsty. A good amount of water went down my throat involuntarily yesterday. It's good. Now all I need is some food.

I glance up at the birds, and catch one's eye. It stares for a moment, and then there is a horrible shrieking noise. I realise it is the birds, and they are moving towards me, closing in on me. I scramble up and run for my life, realising those aren't normal birds. They are attacking me!

I run as fast as I can, but they run faster. They catch up to me easily, and I pull out my sword. I slash at them wildly, bringing a few down, but there is only one of me, and hundreds of them. They have me surrounded, and I cannot escape.

I drop to the ground and say goodbye to my family. I can feel their sharp beaks, like needles, piercing my skin, making my blood flow. They are ripping me apart, and it isn't long before I am gone.

**Leif Oconner, District 1**

The cannon shot jars me awake. The sun is only just up, and already someone is dead.

"I wonder who that was," Ellora says. She is one of those people who can wake up and be alert straight away. Like me.

Ellora's from District 2, but I get along with her better than any of the others. In fact, I would love to kill Jewel, and get rid of her now. But she's my district partner, and it would seem kind of weird that I if I killed her, after that great show of being best friends we did for the Capitol.

"Dunno," I answer. I stretch and jump to my feet to check out the food supplies. There wasn't too much there, and we were kind of wondering if the Gamemakers hadn't filled the Cornucopia right up. But after a long debate, we'd agreed that someone had stolen a lot of the food. Still, our supplies weren't bad.

I grab an apple from a bag, and then join Ellora at the edge of the clearing we are camping in. We stumbled upon this spot last night, after wandering through the jungle. We're a fair way into the forest, but I can still see the jungle. It wasn't very big, just a damp, dark ring around the lake, probably to discourage anyone from going back there. It's a pretty big source of fresh water, that lake.

"Do you think that Tarn is going to want to get that District 11 girl?" Ellora asks me. She's quite pretty and civilised for someone who is so deadly. She never uses slang, and she never looks anything but perfect, and she never fights unless it's to the death.

"Probably. He's got a bit of a temper problem," I answer. She's finger-combing her perfect reddish brown hair. I'm surprised she's even got knots in her hair.

She laughs. "How about that 12 boy yesterday? Did you see his face when he saw me pop up right in front of him?"

I nod, laughing with her. I had seen that. One moment he was staring into the water, trying to psych himself up to jump in, the next he had fallen backwards, off his metal plate and into the water, and was staring at Ellora, shocked. Needless to say, he didn't survive.

Maude groans and rolls over in her sleep. It's too early for the others to get up; they aren't morning people. It would be great if some random tribute came wandering along right now, just so that me and Ellora can have a bit of a fight. This sitting around and wasting perfectly good hunting time is boring.

**Theda Depena, District 9**

I wake up with the sun in my eyes. It's almost noon, and I'm only just getting up. I'm glad no one came past while I was asleep.

My spear is beside me, and the small fire I lit is still going. I pull out some rabbit from my small pack and chow down. This forest has heaps of animals in it, and I'm a brilliant hunter, coming from District 9 and all.

Just as I'm finishing, I hear a loud noise to my right. I can hear footsteps, along with the sounds of branches being stepped on, and thumps when whoever it is hits something.

I scramble to my feet, a little tired still, and grab my spear. I'm not the world's greatest morning person, but I am wide awake now.

A boy stumbles into the clearing, swearing at the bushes behind him, which he has just scraped himself on. He looks up, and stops dead when he sees me, my spear poised to throw, aimed at his heart. I can see the fear in his eyes, and the silent pleas for me to let him live.

For a moment, my resolve wavers. I recognise him; he comes from District 3. Edgerre Hanrath. I'm good with names; I can remember who almost everyone in this arena is. I also remember that this boy only got a 1 in training. He is the weakest, most vulnerable tribute, and I don't want to kill him.

In my mind, a war rages. Part of me wants to kill him, while the other part wants to have him as an ally. But killing him would mean that I was one step closer to home. He waits for my decision, silently pleading for me to let him live. Tears stream down his pale cheeks, and he is quavering with fear.

I cannot kill him. I just cannot. It is against everything I live for, and killing him would drive me mad. Killing anyone would.

"Do you want to be allies, Edgerre?" I ask him, dropping my spear. I sit back down and smile at him. He smiles back and nods, coming to sit beside me. I get the impression that he is a very quiet person. I don't think he said more than 3 words during our whole time in the Capitol.

Oh well. Now I have an ally, at least.

**Brisson Mahrun, District 4**

Almost the entire day, we've been hunting, and we haven't even found one person.

We've come back to our camp site, which I must admit, is a pretty good spot, and now we're all doing whatever we feel like. Everyone's split up into these little groups. Groups within a group. There's Leif and Ellora, they just sit and talk, Maude and Jewel sit around and complain 'cause they're bored, or come and bug you until you have a good yell at them, Tarn, who sit off to the side and examines the heap of medicines and stuff he got, and me. I mostly do a bit of guard duty, or go for a walk, or talk with Leif and Ellora. I tried talking to Tarn, but he's the solitary type, and vicious. I got a few one word answers, and then he threatened to smash my head in if I didn't mind my own business. So much for that brilliant idea.

The anthem starts playing, and all conversation ceases. We are all curious to know who died this morning. A boys face flashes in the sky, along with his district number, then disappears and that's it. Everyone looks away and starts talking again, or sulking, or whatever. I go over to Ellora and Leif and join their group.

"So, District 5, huh? Who's dead now?" Leif says. I shrug, but Ellora frowns and silently counts for a moment.

"Um, the girl from 3, boy from 12, both from 5, and Maude got the 10 boy," she says to us quickly. "But I cannot for the life of me remember the other two. They were boys, though."

"6 and 8," Tarn tells her, sitting down next to me. "I got the one from 8 just before 11 got me shoulder. Thought he was from her district. Was plannin' on knocking 'em both out."

I think about making a smart comment, but don't. Tarns a big guy and he's only in this alliance for convenience. I wouldn't want to cross him. He wouldn't hesitate to kill a smaller, younger boy like me.

"Who got 6?" I ask. He was already dead, slumped on his metal plate, when Jewel and Leif stopped arguing with me over my knife. Just 'cause I got there first.

"His district partner," Ellora says. "Her name is Idol, or something. We should have asked if she wanted to join the group. She is a good fighter. I do not know why she needed to take out her district partner, of all people, first, though."

"That is kinda weird," Leif agrees. I nod with him. Even if I wasn't part of this alliance – being a Career and all – I wouldn't have seen the need to take out Maude. Not on the first day, anyway. When it comes to the Final 8 though...well, I guess our alliance will be over by then. I'm debating leaving before everyone starts fighting, anyway. If I did that, then I would be able to win, without any injuries by my 'friends' here.

It's a good plan, but no Career tribute has ever chosen to leave the alliance before – without killing someone, that is.

**Surviving Tributes:**

District 1: Jewel Scaia and Leif Oconner

District 2: Ellora Wyrmaa and Tarn Nii

District 3: Edgerre Hanrath

District 4: Maude Cakakek and Brisson Mahrun

District 5: None

District 6: Idala Threadgill

District 7: Cama Okuda and Kurrin Voter

District 8: Ceri Vildosola

District 9: Theda Depena and Dune Deshayes

District 10: Lucilia Pooler and Thor Covarrubio

District 11: Brynna Zadora and Haroun Monserrale

District 12: Barite Muska

**A/N: Well, there's Chapter 1! Please please please review for me, every review makes me feel all happy and excited and want to write more!**

**Also, if there's a particular tribute you want to support, sponsor them in your review and they might get a gift!**

**Chapter 2 will be here real soon everybody!**


	3. Wolves

Day 3

**Idala Threadgill, District 6**

"Why do we have to kill someone, Idala?" Cama asks in her whiney voice. It's high-pitched normally, but when she gets grumpy or annoyed it goes up. You wouldn't think it was possible. But it is for her, and it's hard on the ears.

I didn't think that being allies with this sheepdog of a girl would be so hard. She's one of those people who just follow without being asked, but she's started being defiant today. I'm thinking of just killing her now and getting it over and done with, so that I can get home quickly. But she is sweet most of the time, just like a little pet, and, well, you know, it's kinda hard to kill a pet.

"We have to kill them to get home. You do want to get home, don't you?" I say patiently. I figured out last night that she is just a little bit stupid. I've had to explain the games to her quite a lot, and she's always got questions. She didn't seem like this in the Capitol. Perhaps she's going crazy? Sometimes tributes do.

I hope she is, 'cause that will make it easy for me to get away from her.

"Yes," she whimpers. Good. I've had enough of her extra-high voice for today.

"I wanna go home, Idala," she whispers. Tears start falling onto her cheeks. Now she is being an angel again. My little pet is back. I wonder if mood swings are signs of craziness?

"So do I, Cama," I answer, giving her a hug. "But to go home, we have to kill everyone else. Ok?"

She nods, doing what I say without argument. That won't last very long though. She has a short memory. She'll forget again, and I'll have to go through that whole process again.

Oh, _joy_. Why don't I just kill her now?

She finally pulls on her boots and gets up. She's short, and slow, and in any normal case, I would have ditched her by now. But she has this huge supply of food that she scabbed from the Careers while they were picking off the kids that were to afraid to jump in the water. That's the only smart thing she's done since her reaping. She even stuffed up her chariot ride, if that's possible.

We soon catch sight of the District 9 girl, creeping along, thinking she's out of sight. We hide behind a few bushes too watch her. She's armed, but so am I.

"Stay here," I whisper to Cama. She nods, and I begin to creep out of the thick bushes and towards the girl. She's trying to get away from something, not creep up on it, and I wonder what it could possibly be. I shadow her footsteps, a fraction louder than she was. When I stop and peer through the forest, I see why she was eager to get away. Sitting only a few metres away, are the Career tributes.

I risk glancing back in the direction of the 9 girl, but she's already disappeared into the trees, safely out of reach of the Careers. I wish I could say the same, because now it's me in this situation and not her. It could be me who dies now.

Silently, one step at a time, I cautiously make my way back to Cama. I back along my previous path, not wanting to risk turning around. A few seconds ago, I had been the hunter. But now, staring at my greatest rivals only a few metres away, Idala the hunter had disappeared.

I look over my shoulder and scan the ground carefully. It feels like ages between steps, and at each I look at the Careers to make sure they didn't notice me. The audience will be loving this, begging them to turn around and see me. But my family, my brothers and sisters at home, and the rest of District 9, would be willing me to escape with my life, and to get home. I wanted to defy the Capitol, to be free? Well, here's my chance. I can survive this, and they can be disappointed. It's a small thing, but at least it's something.

Cama is watching me worriedly, biting her lip in an effort not to yell, or break out of the bushes and help me. I hope she stays there, because if she does, I will kill her.

Wait, no I won't kill her, because if she does, we will both be dead. Oh, I hate her, but I hope she doesn't do that. I don't want to die. I'm going to win.

Finally, I am back where I started, and I can turn around to face Cama. "Let's go!" I whisper. She doesn't argue, just runs as fast as she can behind me. She has already figured out that there was danger, which is a first.

Maybe she's not as dumb as I thought.

**Barite Muska, District 12**

I don't have any supplies, and I'm thirsty as. I haven't seen anyone else, which I am glad about, because I don't have any weapons to defend myself with. But that means that I won't kill anyone, which makes me glad 'cause I won't be a murderer then. I can just stay being plain old Barite.

I miss District 12, but I'm glad 'cause I get to see new places and learn new things. I get to explore this forest, but there might be wild animals. But that's ok, 'cause they are edible, which means that there is food. Which reminds me, I am hungry too. My tummy is growling at me, but that's good, 'cause that means I'm not dead. Dead people's tummies don't growl at them and tell them to eat.

If you haven't noticed, I'm a hopelessly optimistic person. For some reason, other people don't like looking at the bright side all the time. I dunno why. I think it's great to know that there's always something good about your situation.

I can hear someone coming towards me. That would be bad for most people, but I think it's good, 'cause that means I'm not alone, and I don't like being alone. Maybe they want to be friends. I think that they wanna be friends.

A girl comes out of the trees. She has a knife and a pack, so she has supplies, which is good. Only she might want to kill me with her knife, but then I wouldn't have to wait for the Careers to get me. So that's good. Right?

"Who are you?" she asks. She doesn't look frightened, just wary, but that's good because she might trust me when she knows who I am. No one trusts strangers.

"I'm Barite Muska. District 12," I tell her. She looks at me, and realises I have no weapons or supplies or anything. My tummy growls real loud then, and we both giggle.

"You hungry?" she says. I nod, and she pulls out some sort of plant that she's picked. I've seen it before, while I was wandering around this huge forest. Pity I didn't know it was edible before.

"I'm Brynna," she tells me. I smile at her, but I can't talk, 'cause I'm busy eating. I know who she is now. Brynna Zadora, from District 11.

Well, our alliance is real good, 'cause she knows what plants to eat and stuff. So now I won't starve to death, which is good, 'cause starving to death takes a real long time. My brother starved to death, 'cause he gave all his food to the rest of us. But that's good, 'cause the rest of us are still alive. But I still miss him, but that's good, 'cause I won't forget him.

"Allies?" Brynna grins at me. She already knows the answer. I nod and grin back. I think we will be best friends pretty soon. She slumps onto the ground beside me, shaking out her long, dark hair and combing her fingers through it. She looks at the fire for a minute, apparently admiring it, and then eats some of the stuff she gave me herself. Well, it's not poisonous then, which is good. And she'll know what other plants we can eat. And she has water. That means I won't starve to death, or get dehydrated until I die. There's more fresh water around here somewhere, I think.

I think this is gonna be a good alliance.

Day 4

**Theda Depena, District 9**

Edgerre's useless, but he's company.

He doesn't know a single thing about anything. I'm surprised he made it past the bloodbath. He was hungry when we became allies, that's for sure. He ate a whole rabbit. It's a good thing I can hunt.

He hasn't said a word since we teamed up. He's very quiet, but he learns quickly. Yesterday, I showed him how to assemble a snare, and he got it almost right the first time. It was a difficult snare to set up, too. That was after my close encounter with the Careers on my way back from hunting. They were sitting a few metres away from where I was, and I crept right past them! But it was too close for comfort.

There was also the girl from District 6 after me yesterday. She appeared just after I saw the Careers. I got away from her, but I was kind of hoping the Careers would see her. She's a good competitor, considering that she's from District 6.

We aren't doing anything spectacular. We just wander around the forest till it gets dark, then find a good place to sleep, then he sleeps while I do night duty, and I sleep in the morning, 'cause Edgerre can't see to well in the dark. It's not a perfect scheme, but it's the best we can manage.

Sometimes, the silence gets a bit depressing. I wish I had someone to talk to, but Edgerre likes it being just the two of us. He only got a 1 in training, and he's scared of the others. I'm surprised he didn't try to run when he saw me.

No one died yesterday. That means that the gamemakers will probably do something to make it more exciting, unless there's a fight or something going on somewhere. There must be, because it's almost noon, and nothings happened. Not in our part of the woods anyway. But there haven't been any cannons either, which means that the Capitol people will probably still be bored.

I wonder who will die today. It has to happen, but I really hope it isn't us, even though that's really selfish. If we don't die, or get attacked or something, then that means that it happens to someone else. And I don't want anyone to die anymore.

Oh, this is impossible! I told myself over and over before the games that these people have to die for the games to end, that I might have to die to help someone else home. There's nothing any of us can do to avoid that. Every few years there are big groups that team up and vow not to fight, and the Careers, who do nothing but fight, and it never works. There has only been one winner each year for the past 71 years.

It might be me who kills next, or dies. More likely, Edgerre will die today and I'll be left alone to face this arena.

He's silent, but he's company. And company is good at times like this.

**Kurrin Voter, District 7**

Bloody gamemakers.

I'm being forced to be chased by this wolf. Man, it's a huge wolf too. Not really fair at all. Almost twice my size, it is.

But, yeah, this forest is kinda helping. I'm in a bit of a thick patch now, and the wolf can't get through. But if I run out of thick stuff, I'm gone.

I don't have no weapons. All I got is my waterskin, which is almost empty, thanks to this pointless run through the forest with this wolf chasing me. Most spilled out when I tried to have a drink, now here hardly any left and I can't stop or the wolf'll get me.

I'm getting real tired now, but I don't wanna die yet. I'm only 15. Tomorrow's my birthday. I don't wanna die before I get to have my birthday. I'm almost 16.

The wolf is getting closer, though, and I don't think that I can get away from it. I cry out for help, as loud as I can, but no one answers, and I have to slow down so that I can get my breath back a little bit. But the wolf is right behind me, and it doesn't take long for it to take a leap at me. At the last moment, I duck, and it flies over my head, whining as it rolls over the ground. I grab a rock and throw it at the wolf, hitting its stomach. It growls and gets back on its feet, launching itself at me again in one fluid movement. I wish I had an axe. Then maybe District 7 might not seem so useless anymore. If there's one thing I leant from growing up there, it would be how to wield an axe.

I throw another rock. There's heaps lying scattered around in this area, and I have absolutely no idea where I am. I had a pretty good camp set up next to the river until this damned wolf showed up.

The wolf doesn't like my trick with the rocks at all. It keeps up a running growl now, and leaps with incredible speed, but somehow I am able to keep up. A branch lying just in the line of trees catches my attention, and I have an idea.

I throw another stone, then wait for the wolf to leap, hoping my reflexes are as fast as I think they are. When the wolf leaps, I dash off to the side, towards the branch. I hear the wolf slide to a stop and come after me, but I have reached the branch. Automatically, my fingers wrap around the branch and I swing around to face the giant creature, not as afraid now that I have a weapon. Packing as much force as I can into the sturdy branch in my hands, I swing it at the wolf. It doesn't see this coming, and I give it a fair blow across the face which draws blood. It whines and backs off, but I rain it with blows. It whimpers and turns, fleeing with its tail between its legs. Wish I'd known it was such a scaredy cat when the fight was fair earlier.

**Cama Okuda, District 7**

I think we're in trouble.

Me and Idala built a shelter to live in, in this big heap of thick bushes and trees and stuff so that it wouldn't be noticed. But now there's a big heap of the other kids throwing rocks and stuff at us.

"Cama, we're going to have to run," Idala says to me. I don't think we're in trouble anymore, 'cause I know we're in trouble.

She grabs my arm and pulls me from the shelter. I start running as fast as I can, but she's faster, and I'm getting left behind. The big group has sotted us, and they're yelling and chasing after us. Idala disappears into the trees in front of me just as I hear a whistling through the air behind me.

I don't even have time to wonder what it is before I'm dead.

**Tarn Nii, District 2**

It's almost dusk, and we're still fighting. There's a pack of wolves, all gigantic, all brightly coloured, and they're all after us. There's only 5 of us left, but I don't know who's dead. All I know is that there's three wolves and five of us, and I'm still alive.

This sword is coming in handy against this wolf. It's a huge, sandy coloured wolf, and it's vicious. I've already taken down one, a grey one that was covered in fresh blood and had already been in a fight. I wonder who had an encounter with it before us?

"Hey ugly, over here!" I can hear Jewel shouting at the wolf from behind it. It whirls around to face her and her club. I slash at it's legs and it growls, turning back.

"Club it, Jewel!" Brisson hollers from where he's fighting the black wolfone-handed, which is also the biggest. "I need your help with this one!"

She jumps onto the wolf's back and smashes her club into it's head. It's growl cuts off almost immediately and it drops dead. Jewel jumps to the ground and laughs, triumphant.

"Nice job," I say gruffly. She holds her hand up for a high-five, and I give it to her.

"Uh, guys, a little help please?" Brisson yells, jumping out of the wolfs path just before it snaps its jaws closed in the space where he just stood.

Jewel laughs and dances into the fight. Maude is more subdued, standing her ground while raining down blows. I hardly notice she's there. Between the four of us, we make light work of the wolf, which is completely confused by the end of it.

"Stupid wolf," Jewel laughs breathlessly, leaning against a tree. Maude stands in the same position she was in when she joined us. Brisson is examining a cut in his side, and motioning to me.

"Hey Tarn, what do you think of this?" he asks, glancing up at me. "Not too bad?"

I shake my head and grab some bandages and cream. He applies cream, wincing whenever he touches his skin, then lets me wind bandages around his stomach.

"Rest now," I order, then look around the clearing for the first time. It's not a pretty sight. There are four wolf bodies, one of which Maude is crouched over, stripping meat from it. They destroyed our food supply, so anything we can get will be a help. I wonder what happened to Leif and Ellora, until I catch sight of the most gruesome part of it. Two areas of the clearing are slick with blood and scattered with bits of bodies. They are unrecognisable now.

Two of us gone now.

**Kurrin Voter, District 7**

I got a fire going. It's right on dusk, and it's taken me an hour, but I got it going.

It's a very small fire, and it doesn't give off much heat, but it's all I have now. My waterskin is bone dry, thanks to the wolf before. I hope I injured that big grey fluffballl enough for it to die.

But at the moment, I don't really care about that. I used up heaps of energy now, and I haven't eaten since the Capitol. Now my stomach is hollow and I'm really craving food. It's all I can think about.

Then, a boy comes through the trees, just as the anthem plays. I recognise him as Dune, from 9. We talked while we were in the Capitol. The sky starts showing the dead, but I pay attention to the boy now. He's quick, I'll give im that. He just made it around the fire and in front of me in about 3 seconds. Then the knife slides in and out of my stomach, and he leaves me lying face up to watch the death toll as I myself slowly die. I see the boy from 1 and the girl from 2. Two Careers dead in one day. That's good. I wonder if they got attacked by wolves too?

Then I catch a fractured glimpse of my own face, and the sound of a cannon before everything shuts down and I am plunged into the world of the dead.

**Surviving Tributes:**

District 1: Jewel Scaia

District 2: Tarn Nii

District 3: Edgerre Hanrath

District 4: Maude Cakakek and Brisson Mahrun

District 5: None

District 6: Idala Threadgill

District 7: None

District 8: Ceri Vildosola

District 9: Theda Depena and Dune Deshayes

District 10: Lucilia Pooler

District 11: Brynna Zadora and Haroun Monserrale

District 12: Barite Muska


End file.
